Decision to grant telecoms mast near Laois village upheld

A decision to grant permission for a 100 foot tall telecoms mast near a Laois village has been upheld by An Bord Pleanála.

Laois County Council approved permission last April, to Vodafone's company Vantage Towers Ltd. to erect the lattice mast in a field in Ballygillaheen, 4km from Rosenallis village.

The tower would have antennae, dishes, a headframe and associated telecommunications equipment, all enclosed by security fencing and proposed access track. 

Five local people appealed the decision to the national planning authority.

Neville Conroy, Noel Dunne and Margaret Goulding are the joint owners of the private agricultural lane leading to the field.
They say that there is no right or way nor consent for access, either sought or given.

Ms Goulding further disputes a claim by the site owner Raymond Redmond that his family farm was accessed via the laneway for over 70 years. She said that a request for further information by Laois County Council to address all 11 submissions, was not done, and neither were the environmental concerns addressed.

In his appeal Trevor Conroy argued that there was no evidence that other sites in the immediate vicinity were considered by the applicant. He said there are several other locations in the locality, both on lands owned by the proposed landowner and other landowners which would increase the set back  distance of the development from nearby residences and thereby reduce the overall  visual impact of the structure on the landscape.

Melissa Young and Cathal Killeen submitted a joint appeal. They claim that "the impact on nearby homes has not been evaluated to any credible degree" in the visual montages.

They say that protected species including Barn Owls and Common Pipistrelle Bats inhabit the area, but that the application did not include any environmental screening assessment.  They note that "tree screening" around the site is on land belonging to someone else and they could be felled or die, worsening the visual impact.

In their response the applicant said the question of legal interest in relation to the laneway is outside the remit of the planning decision. They said it is a matter for negotiations and or the courts and not a planning issue. 

The applicant had said that the infrastructure is inadequate in the area for the expanding digital market, not only for mobile phones but wearable devices.

"The target area of north County Laois, north of Rosenallis and east of Clonaslee, has a clear deficiency in basic 4G and 5G coverage." 

They said the poor to no coverage has "significant and detrimental effects on the local community".

They said the visual impact will not be unduly obtrusive.

The An Bord Pleanála inspector found that the proposed development was "necessary for the provision of high quality communications and information technology networks in the area" and that it "would not  seriously injure the amenities of the area, and would be in accordance with the proper planning and sustainable development of the area".

The board agreed with the Inspector's assessment and granted planning permission subject to seven conditions.